1 Bournbrook Road, Bournbrook, Birmingham

Image: © Phil Champion Taken: 21 Jan 2006

This building was located adjacent to the Bourn Brook, and Bristol Road (A38), near Birmingham University's South Gate. When this photo was taken in January 2006 plans were well advanced to widen Bristol Road in connection with the construction of a relief road for Bournbrook and Selly Oak (the Selly Oak New Road). This necessitated the demolition of a number of properties. Formerly a Council-run nursery, it had been empty for two years when, in August 2004, the building was squatted and became the Bournbrook Nursery Social Centre ("an autonomous space for the community to use"). http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/12/302331.html After three failed eviction attempts by the council, the collective left voluntarily in February 2005, to allow the council's RITE Project to take up temporary residence, having been displaced from another council owned property that had been sold off. http://libcom.org/forums/midlands/squatter-s-success-in-bringing-building-back-into-social-use The RITE Project, which works with young people, particularly looked after children, who have been excluded from the education system. The project has since moved to new premises. The building was finally demolished some time between July 2009 and August 2011.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0